Treacherous
by Irish Angell
Summary: Is supposed to take place during 4x07. Was supposed to be a one-shot song fic, but unfortunately, due to length, I actually had to cut this up into 3 parts. Klaroline love! COMPLETED!
1. Part 1

_**Author's Note:** If you haven't listened to Taylor Swift's song "Treacherous" from her new album "Red", then you simply must. I am not a huuuuge Taylor Swift fan, though I do like a few of her songs. Personally I feel a lot of her stuff is the same thing repeated to a different tune. However, my friend got me her new album and I really like it. It's not like a lot of her other stuff. Anyway, this song in particular is my FAVORITE SONG from that album. I've listened to it on repeat so many times, it's insane, and what I love about it is that it reminds me very much of a Klaroline relationship, if it were ever to happen. The words are just so perfect for them._

_Anyway, this was meant to be a one-shot song fic. However, it turned out to be WAYYY longer than I had anticipated, so I have decided to make it a multi-chapter song fic, which I know isn't the norm. It will be told in 3 parts (or 4, or 5, depending on how long the ending ends up being. It won't be longer than 5! I'm still finishing it). I will post a chapter every few days, just to give me time to finish the ending. I hope you like it! =]_

_Also, when I chopped it up, I had to extend the first part because it was shorter than the other parts, and I had to try and bring the first part of it to a close, so it probably ends rather abruptly. This is, by far, the shortest of the 3 parts. I do apologize. _

**x X x**

She stood there on the dance floor in her moss green lace dress, across from none other than the bane of her existence, Klaus. They were just two players of about a dozen others preparing to dance for the Miss Mystic Falls pageant, with half the town looking on, and Klaus was her date. Why did she agree to this? He had just shown up yesterday while she was in event planner-mode and invited himself along, cashing in on the date that she owed him for giving up one of his hybrids to save Elena. What made matters worse was that Tyler had barely spoken to her since the whole ordeal had happened, and she couldn't blame him. She felt like a despicable person for what she had done; giving up another person's life – an innocent person who had helped them – in order to save Elena. Caroline didn't know that they would kill Chris of all people, but she did know they someone was going to die. At the time she hadn't really thought twice about it because it was for her best friend, whom she would do anything for, but after the hurt on Tyler's face and the anger he had shown her, she had seen the error of her decision. She had used the Miss Mystic Falls pageant as a means of keeping herself busy to help her cope with the pain that her actions had caused to the person she had cared about most.

However, that didn't mean that her duty as "Klaus distraction" was over. Yes, Tyler wasn't happy that she had agreed to go on a date with Klaus, but he had to understand that it was to keep up the ruse of their break up, right? Caroline had convinced herself that he understood, though she wasn't sure if he did.

So here she was, playing Klaus-bait again. Her job was to keep him busy and make him think she was falling for his charm. Or, in some form, make him think she just wanted to use him to make Tyler jealous. Caroline doubted that Klaus had one ounce of genuine feeling in him for him to care either way. In her mind, he only wanted to possess her. He wanted her because he couldn't have her.

At least, that was her hope.

Between the romantic gestures and beautiful drawings, the line between Klaus wanting to possess her and Klaus having genuine feelings for her had become somewhat blurred.

The music began, and Klaus took Caroline's hand in his, resting his other hand on her waist like he had during their other dances, and began to lead her in the dance. It almost pained Caroline to think that she had danced with this man on more than one occasion. It pained her even more to admit that, despite her best efforts, she had liked it.

…_Put your lips close to mine_

_as long as they don't touch…_

His touch was electric, sending shivers through her fingers and down her spine. His hands were rough, his many years evident in their grip. They were strong, yet gentle. Oh, where these hands have been. What they had been witness to, both the beauty and the horror. She contemplated all the things Klaus must have seen in his thousand years walking this planet.

"What are you thinking about, sweetheart?" His question took her by surprise, as if in all the time she had spent contemplating him, she had forgotten he was even there. She brought her eyes up from their intertwined hands to look him the eye. His gorgeous blue eyes were staring at her intently.

She didn't know why, but it frightened her the way he looked at her. Not because she was afraid of him killing her – surprisingly, that thought hadn't crossed her mind for many months – no, it was more of the fact that she had never had someone look at her the way he did. He didn't look at her with lust like so many other men who would undress her with their eyes, not the least bit concerned with how their leering would make her feel. It almost seemed like he was always trying to read her, trying to figure her out and understanding her as a person. His gaze upon her seemed…softer than when he looked at anyone else, even his own siblings.

"You're going to have to answer me sometime, love. I'm not a mind reader, you know." He said; the right corner of his luscious pink lips quirking up into a smile.

She blinked a couple times, shaking her head a little and bringing herself back into reality. "Nothing!" she finally answered, trying to regain her composure and keep in pace with the dance, despite her flustered state.

…_Out of focus, eye to eye_

_till the gravity's too much…_

He chuckled quietly, his grin widening from ear to ear. Caroline could feel her cheeks warming at this. "You kept me in suspense, and all for 'nothing'? I will not accept that as an answer, so I will ask you again: what's on your mind?"

She cleared her throat a little, trying to come up with an answer that would satisfy him. She couldn't possibly tell him that what she was thinking about was him and his glorious eyes and his strong hands. No, that would give him too much pleasure at her expense. So instead she came up with the best excuse she could, one she knew he wouldn't like. "Tyler."

His smiled instantly faded and his eyes found the dark haired hybrid and his brunette companion in the crowd of people watching the reigning Miss Mystic Falls champion and the future Miss Mystic Falls hopefuls as they danced. Caroline followed his gaze to thecouple and couldn't help the twinge of jealousy she felt at their close proximity to each other. Hayley said something to Tyler that made me chuckle, it looked like. She knew they were only friends and that they were here to help convince Klaus of the aforementioned break up, but they seemed to be enjoying themselves a little _too_ much for her liking. Wasn't that the point, though? Caroline and Tyler were supposed to be "broken up", and they had to make it believable so that Klaus would fall for it. _'He could lighten up on the acting, though.'_ She thought angrily.

"I see." Klaus said, drawing Caroline's attention back to him. She kind of felt guilty for some reason. No! She didn't need to feel guilty. Klaus was an evil, murderous fiend who sired hybrids and practically used them as slaves! Tyler and Hayley needed to help the other hybrids, and that was important. That's why she had agreed to this God awful plan. If Klaus found out, he would be so angry. He would probably kill them all, even her. Would he kill her? Again, the thought had never even occurred to her, as she never worried about the Original Hybrid ending her for good. Why didn't she? He was an _Original_! And not just _any_ Original; he was _Klaus_! She had already betrayed him twice before, and he had seemed to have forgiven her for that, but would he forgive her a third time?

She jumped slightly when she felt Klaus' hand leave her waist and touch her cheek. The gentleness of his touch surprised her, and she brought her eyes back to his.

…_And I'll do anything you say_

_if you say it with your hands…_

"He is a fool, Caroline," said Klaus.

"Excuse me?" she questioned.

"How he could ever have an affair, when he already had you, I will never understand." He said, being uncharacteristically kind, at least to most who knew him. Caroline herself has had the chance, on more than one occasion, to glimpse this kindness in him. The first was at the ball held at his estate by his entire family, the night they shared their first dance. His behavior towards her during their dance had surprised her, and had almost made her want to enjoy herself, though she was determined not to in his presence. And then when he spoke to her by the horses… he had seemed so sincere, though she wasn't sure if she fully believed him at the time. She wasn't even sure if she believed him now.

She knew that now he was only being nice because Tyler had "cheated on her" and therefore was using this situation to his advantage, trying to seduce her when she is supposed to be most vulnerable. What a snake!

"I don't want to talk about it," she replied curtly, putting on the same face she wore the night of the Mikaelson ball. She would go along with a fake break up, sure, but she was not going to pretend to be a vulnerable and weak-minded little girl who would willing fall into the arms of the first man who showed her kindness. She was not going to give Klaus the satisfaction. He wanted her? _Really_ wanted her? Then he's going to have to work for it, and it was _not_ going to be easy.

Klaus only smiled, "Very well." He tightened his grip on her waist and pulled her closer to him, catching her off guard. She gasped and looked directly in his eyes – those blue eyes that threatened to pull her in and drown her – never losing pace with him or the other couples on the dance floor. She could feel her heart racing as their noses were barely inches apart. If he so desired, he could pull her in and kiss her now and she wouldn't be able to react quickly enough to stop him.

She wasn't even sure if she would _want_ to stop him. _'What the hell? Snap out of it, Caroline!'_

…_And I'd be smart to walk away,_

_but you're quicksand…_

The music came to a close and all the other couples broke apart and started to clap with the audience, but Caroline found herself still very much in Klaus' arms. She cleared her throat slightly and slowly pulled away from him, joining in with the other contestants in their cheers. She didn't look at him, but she could feel Klaus' gaze still heavily on her. Trying to look anywhere but back into his eyes, Caroline searched the crowd for Tyler, wondering if he might have caught her and Klaus' little… "Intimacy" issue. It took her a second, but she eventually spotted him on the other side of the dance floor, this time it was him saying something to Hayley that caused her to laugh. Caroline felt her anger growing at the sight of them, so much so that she hardly noticed Carol Lockwood, the woman in charge of the Miss Mystic Falls pageant and Tyler's mother, commanding the attention of the crowd, pulling them into the estate so that they could continue with the pageant inside. It was then that she noticed Klaus beside her, offering her is arm. _'Fine,'_ she thought, _'I'm going to make Tyler jealous!'_

She took Klaus' arm defiantly, holding her head up high. "Let's do this." She said allowed, more to herself than to anyone in particular. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Klaus shoot her an amused look, but ignored him, keeping her head held high. They walked through the door, arm in arm. As they passed Tyler and Hayley, Caroline let out of small laugh, pretending that Klaus had said something amusing to her, and hugged his arm tightly. She chanced a quick glance at Tyler and noticed that he did not look amused. _'Ha! How do _you_ like it?' _she thought triumphantly. She heard the man whose arm she was hugging clear his throat and her smile quickly faded. Slowly, she turned her gaze around to Klaus, who was looking at her with both amusement and a knowing expression. She quickly let go of his arm. "Not my proudest moment." She confessed.

"By all means," Klaus said, leaning in slightly, "use me all you want, love. I am more than happy to make the little hybrid pay for hurting you. A little bit of notice would be appreciated next time, though." He seemed to be relishing in the thought and she couldn't help but let out a small laugh. He looked at her questioningly. She waved him off, indicating it was nothing.

…_This slope is treacherous_

_This path is reckless…_

They followed the crowd toward the grand hall, but deviated off to another room in the back, where Caroline was to prepare to present the newly crowned Miss Mystic Falls with all her winnings, which basically consisted of a sash and tiara. "You don't have to come back with me," she said to the Original Hybrid who had followed her into the room.

"It's a date, Caroline, which means I get to spend every lovely second with you." He replied, almost sarcastically, "No matter how incredibly dull these silly pageants are."

"I didn't _ask_ you to be my date today, you know. _You_ insisted. I was more than happy to just do the movie date, as I said." She picked up the little tiara and analyzed it, as if she were inspecting for any imperfections. She really was just looking for something to keep her looking busy. Maybe if she were busy he would leave her alone. _'Fat chance of that,'_ she thought.

"And I look forward to that movie date, believe me," he said matter-of-factly, as if it had already been decided.

"Um, no, I don't think so," she said quickly, returning the tiara to its previous place upon the small silk pillow, "we agreed to _one_ date. One! And this is it!"

"You're sure about that?" he said, raising his eyebrows in a challenge.

She huffed. "Yes!"

He shrugged, "We shall see then, won't we?" She rolled her eyes and turned away, trying to show her indifference to him. "You know, love," she heard him say from across the room. She heard him walking towards the window, "if you really wanted to make Tyler jealous, we could always start snogging in the hallway. I'm sure that would get a reaction out of him."

Oh, listen to him in all his British-ness. It was bad enough he had that sexy accent. However, the thought of kissing Klaus hadn't actually repulsed her the way she had thought it would. If anything, she actually considered it before quickly snapping back to reality and snapping back at him, "Thanks, but no thanks. I'm good." To her surprise, he remained silent, his attention on something outside. "What, no witty remark?" He looked at her, as if he had forgotten she was there. He had a look of triumph on his face, but upon looking into Caroline's eyes, the triumph quickly melted away to indecisive.

She made her way over to the window to see what he was looking at, but he quickly took her arm, "How about we head on out to the party, love?" he said calmly, although she did detect of hint of urgency in his voice.

"What's going on outside?" she asked, a little irritated by his shepherding her to the door. Her jaw dropped when she came to the conclusion, "Oh, my God, are you _planning_ something? Are you _seriously_ going to ruin my evening and all my hard work for some evil plot of yours?" she pushed him off of her, "What the hell is wrong with you?" She walked back to the window to confirm her suspicion, angry that she would even think for a second that he would not be up to something for once.

"Caroline," he called quietly, but it was too late. She was at the window. She looked out, searching whatever crowd of people still remained outside for Klaus' hybrids who would be doing his bidding. But there were no hybrids. Correction: there was _one_. Tyler. And he was outside, under a tree, with _her_… the werewolf, Hayley. It seemed innocent enough, just going along with the charade they had thrown together for Klaus' benefit. But they seemed to be deep in conversation, and Caroline couldn't help but notice Hayley was holding Tyler's hand.

Caroline felt as though she couldn't breathe, as if she had just been kicked in the stomach. _'That doesn't mean anything,'_ she thought, staring at the window intently, watching them. Klaus was behind her now. He put his hand on her shoulder, "Caroline-" he began, but she pulled herself out of his grasp and glared out the window. Just hand-holding, that was okay. It was just hand-holding.

Tyler then brought his hand up a brushed a strand of Hayley's hair out of her face, which she seemed to appreciate. That was almost too much for Caroline. Suddenly she felt very claustrophobic.

Klaus noticed Caroline's discomfort, "What's wrong, love?" he asked as he pulled her from the window.

Caroline took a deep breath, trying to keep back the tears she felt welling up, though she wasn't sure why. "I'm fine… I just need to get out of here." She said quietly. So quiet that had it not been for his heightened hearing, she was sure that Klaus wouldn't have heard her.

He seemed perfectly fine with that and gently took her by the arm, "As you wish." They slipped away without a single person noticing their impromptu escape. Super vampire speed also didn't hurt.

…_This slope is treacherous_

_And I, I, I like it…_

**x X x**

_**Author's note:** So, the whole Hayley/Tyler scene I wasn't going to do at all. I don't really approve of the whole "Tyler cheated on Caroline with Hayley" plot that I see a lot of people use as a means to put Klaus and Caroline together, and I wasn't going to go that route, and I still really haven't. Tyler and Hayley seem to have this sort of friendship where they seem like they could be dating or flirting with each other all the time, but at the end of the day they are still just friends. I have had relationships like this with guys who were my best friends, so I get it. So, the part at the end, take it as you want: a close friendship that has been misread for something else, or Tyler sincerely showing interest in Hayley. Obviously, Caroline sees the latter. However, that doesn't mean that it's the truth._

_ANYWAY, I really hate that I had to chop this up. It is supposed to be one whole song fic. Damn my imagination getting the better with me. Second part IS done, but I will post it in a couple days so that I can give myself time to finish the third and final part. PLEASE REVIEW! _

_Lots of love,_

_~Kristin_


	2. Part 2

_**Author's Note:** Okay, so I caved and posted this one now. I'm not too happy with the first part, so I wanted to follow up with a chapter I was more proud of. I'm still working on part 3, so that definitely won't be up for a couple days. I'm thinking if I work hard enough on it after work tomorrow, maybe I can get it up before the episode actually airs? Maybe? Maybe? We'll cross our fingers._

**x X x**

They came to a stop in the woods. They would have taken a car, but someone might notice them leaving. It also didn't seem fast enough for Caroline. She just needed to get some air. Truth be told, she really didn't care about the Miss Mystic Falls pageant. She cracked a slight smile, thinking back to a year ago when that's _all_ she cared about. Somehow, it just lost its appeal. Maybe it was the crazy year she had had? Or maybe subconsciously she figured that since she's a vampire now, she'll have plenty of time to be a part of other beauty pageants. Whatever the reason, she really couldn't care less about it at the moment.

"Feeling better, darling?" She heard Klaus say. She hadn't realized that she was leaning against a tree, taking deep breath after deep breath.

She suddenly felt very exposed. "Yeah, I'm good, just needed fresh air. Ya know all the dancing and stuff. Made me tired," She said, trying not to show that the whole scene with Tyler and Hayley had bothered her.

"Oh, is that what that was?" He had a knowing expression and a slight smile on his face. It infuriated her. "I thought maybe it was your cheating ex and his werewolf girlfriend that was bothering you." She looked at him.

'_Yes,'_ she wanted to say, _'I'm upset! I'm not with my boyfriend because we have to pretend we're broken up, which means he has to _pretend_ to be interested in that skank, Hayley, whom I don't trust one bit, but I can't do anything about it because I have to act like everything's fine!' _Yes, Tyler was pretending to be interested in Hayley. He was just getting back at her because of everything that happened with Chris, and of course everything that was happening with Klaus now._ 'So instead I'm here with YOU, of all people! You, with your romantic gestures and drawings and handsome face and adorable dimples and chiseled jaw and sexy accent and strong hands and…'_ She stopped herself there. What was she thinking?! She shouldn't feel this way! He was the bad guy!

…_I can't decide if it's a choice_

_getting swept away…_

She suddenly became angry with herself for even thinking what she did, and then became angry with Klaus. It was his fault that she had these feelings. Why did he have to be so damn charming?

"Yes, Klaus, that's all it was!" She shouted at him, her temper getting the best of her. His smile still didn't waver. Oh, he thought he knew her so well, didn't he? "I don't see why you're so happy! Yeah, sure, Tyler and I broke up, but it took him _cheating_ on me for you to even have a _smidgeon_ of a chance with me!" She pushed herself off the tree, making her way towards him, her finger pointing at him accusingly. His expression became more serious, but still held a bit of amusement at her outburst. Defense mechanism, she assumed. He couldn't let her see how he felt. Either that or he really just didn't give a shit. "But you don't care about that, do you? You don't care about _my_ feelings or about _me_ at all, do you? You just care about winning!"

Klaus' eyes shifted down, his mouth opening just a little as the corners of his lips went up into a slight smile as he exhaled. He nodded his head slightly, looking at a spot on the ground. He closed his mouth and pursed his lips, keeping his head down for a moment and Caroline couldn't read his expression. She felt a twinge of guilt as she watched him, but that didn't stop her from continuing.

"Nothing to say back, huh? Guess I'm not wrong." Caroline said.

"Is that really what you think of me, Miss Forbes?" He said, finally looking up at her after what seemed like an eternity. "That I only want to claim you like a trophy?"

"Don't you?"

…_I hear the sound of my own voice_

_asking you to stay…_

"Perhaps, at one point, that thought had crossed my mind, but that was before…" He paused. He seemed unsure of what to say, of what he should reveal to her. Was he afraid of being vulnerable? He took a step towards her, "I am a lot of things, Caroline, and I might not know how to…" he stopped, rethinking his words, "If I really just wanted you so I could simply possess you, I would have compelled you a long time ago." His voice was void of emotion as he said it, as if trying to keep the upper hand in the conversation.

Oh, well how kind of him to allow her to keep her free will. "But then where's the fun in that?" She said, trying her best not to lose her resolve now. These are things she's wondered for months now. Why didn't he just compel her? Why did he want _her_ in the first place? "You don't compel me because you enjoy the chase."

"Perhaps," he replied, "but that's not why I pursue you."

"Then why?"

"I think that's for another time." He said simply, bowing his head and turning to walk away.

"Oh, _hell_ no!" She shouted, using her super speed to get around him so that she was in front of him, putting a hand on his chest and pushing him backwards, "You don't get to just walk away, buddy. I want answers!"

Klaus didn't hide the pleasure he got from her reaction, his smirk playing across his lips. "So… you're asking me to stay with you?" She looked at him curiously. "At this moment, you actually want my company?"

"No! I want answers!" She said, flustered, "There's a difference!"

He put his hands over the hand she had resting on his chest. She stiffened and went to pull her hand away, but he didn't allow her. "I don't see a difference, love."

…_And all we are is skin and bone_

_trained to get along…_

His chest was so hard and his hands were so warm.

"Please let go of my hand," she said, trying to sound menacing. He was tracing patterns on the skin on the back of her hand with his thumbs, smiling as he observed her. She didn't want to admit it, but his strong hands holding her smaller, softer hands, kind of turned her on. _'Son of a…!'_ "Please let go of my hand." She repeated.

"What's the matter, love? This making you uncomfortable?" he taunted, that same, stupid smirk on his face.

She glared at him, "Extremely."

"Very well, then," he said, gently lifting her hand to his lips and leaving a soft kiss on it before letting it go. She felt her cheeks burning up.

"Look," she said, trying to get back to business. She wanted answers, and she was going to get them! "I agreed to allow you to be my -"

"Date?" He cut in.

"_Escort_!" she corrected before continuing, "- to this stupid pageant because I, well, I wanted to make Tyler jealous, and… well, I guess my own curiosity got the better of me."

"Meaning?"

Damn him! He knew very well what she meant!

"Klaus, if you want me to give you an honest to God chance, then you need to be honest with me." She said, the words escaping her lips. Honest to God chance? Was she really considering giving him a chance? No, it was all an act; just part of the plan. This thought calmed her a little.

He latched onto her words, "Ah, so there is a chance, is there?"

"Don't get ahead of yourself," Caroline said sternly, "There is still the whole matter of you killing my best friend's aunt; terrorizing my hometown; killing several innocent people – many of which I've known since birth! – for your own, sick amusement; and this mad obsession you have with creating your own hybrid army! And that's just a _few_ things I can think of right now!"

He seemed to be contemplating. "Elena's aunt was… unfortunate," he said after a minute, "I had been trying to break my curse for a thousand years and I got a little… well, antsy, I suppose. I am not always a patient man, and I will not apologize for who I am, sweetheart. I've lived a thousand years, and this is how I've done things..." he took a step closer to her, "I know that's not what you want to hear. You want there to be something more to the beast, but I assure you… there really isn't."

She took a moment to digest his words. "You know… it would've been me." Klaus looked at her curiously. She clarified, "The vampire in your horrific little ritual? Yeah, it would've been me. I doubt you would have taken a second look at me then."

He swallowed, "You're right. And I'm sorry." Klaus took another step towards her and touched her cheek, "I truly am." Between the sincerity in his voice and the warmth of his hand on her cheek, Caroline was having a hard time thinking straight. All the feelings she had been feeling about Klaus over the last few months were invading her all at once. She hated him, but she didn't; she wanted nothing more than for him to leave her and her friends alone, get out of Mystic Falls, and disappear from their lives forever… but then there was a part of her that ached when she thought about never seeing him again.

How could all these emotions be inside her? He was the bad guy! He killed her best friend's aunt and God only knows how many other people! He was cruel, evil, and incapable of love. And yet, when he spoke to her, he was always so gentle and so genuine. The way he would hold her when they danced together, or the way he would smile at her. His piercing gaze when he looked at her, as if she were the only person in the world. It all made him seem so… _human_.

She didn't want to admit it, but she really liked his attentions. There was a sort of thrill she got from it, and she was ashamed of those feelings. How could she feel those things when Tyler had gone and put himself through hell to break his sire bond for her? She couldn't feel this way… it was unfair to Tyler. And she told herself that numerous times. So then why did she still crave the attention of the Original Hybrid, despite her claims to the contrary?

…_Forever going with the flow,_

_but you're friction…_

What was it about her? How could she make him feel this way? Make him so… weak? _'Love is a vampire's greatest weakness.' _The words he had spoken to his brother over 500 years ago replayed in his head. _'Wait,'_ he thought, _'who said anything about love?' _No, he didn't love Caroline Forbes. The thought alone was preposterous. He did not love. Not for a thousand years. He loved his siblings as best he knew how and would never let any harm come to them, but even with them he kept a safe distance. In his experience, no one ever truly loved him, and anyone he ever loved always disappointed him in some way, or left him. No, never in his entirety on this earth had he ever _loved_ another being. Not since being turned into a vampire. Not since his mother betrayed him and he ripped her heart from her chest. He made a vow then that other's couldn't be trusted. His walls went up and he only allowed his sister or brother to scratch the surface of it.

It wasn't until he met the blonde haired, blue eyed beauty standing before him that he felt those walls crumbling down. It infuriated him at the power she had over him. He didn't know what it was about her that made him feel this way. He hated being vulnerable, weak, exposed. He had wanted to build a hybrid army so that he wouldn't feel that way. So he would be powerful and, though he would never admit it, so he wouldn't be alone. Hybrids were loyal, albeit against their own will, but loyalty was loyalty and he would take it any way he could.

But with Caroline, he didn't just want her loyalty. He wanted everything. Everything he could never be he saw in her. He wanted her touch, her company, her smile, her light. She was gentle, she was kind, and she was caring. He was a different person around her. He always felt himself seeking her approval when he was around her, losing himself in her eyes; those damning eyes that pulled him ever deeper in with each glance.

"You're sorry?" Caroline scoffed, pulling her face away from his hand. He brought his hand back to his side, opening and closing his fingers, trying to forget the feel of her skin beneath his touch. "After _everything_ you've put us through, you're _sorry_? I don't believe you for a second. And I _don't_ forgive you."

Her words cut through him like a knife. It angered him. If anyone else ever spoke to him the way she did on a regular basis, he would have ripped out their tongue by now. Why did he let her get away with so much?

"I don't need you to forgive me, sweetheart," he said, his calm outer shell slowly cracking under the rising anger of her continuing disrespect. He was an _Original_! He was _Klaus_! For all intents and purposes, he was pretty much _King_ of the Originals! What did she want from him? He was practically groveling at her feet for her attention and she just kept spitting on him!

…_This slope is treacherous_

_This path is reckless…_

"Really, 'cause it seems like you do. Did you honestly think you could just say a few words in a kind-ish manner and if you stroked my cheek or touched my hand, maybe – just maybe – I would fall for it and suddenly be okay with every evil deed you've ever done to me or my friends? That I would just fall into your arms like a swooning schoolgirl and let you have your way with me? Puh-lease!"

"Enough." He said, trying to keep his composure. He didn't want to lose his temper with her. "We were having such a good time at the dance, darling, before you had to go and stir up a nice pot full of drama." It was time for _him_ to push the buttons.

Caroline's jaw dropped. "_Excuse_ _me_?" He couldn't help the grin that took over his face. "We were _not_ enjoying the dance! Maybe _you_ were, but I certainly wasn't. You know I would much rather have been there with Tyler. Hell, I'd even rather dance with Damon!"

"Oh, come on, love. You know I don't believe you for a second. Don't think I didn't notice the looks you gave me or the long pauses before you responded to my questions, or the way your body reacted to my touch – the way it continues to react each time I-" he reached out and grazed his fingers along her arm, to which she shuttered and pulled away instantly.

"No! Don't do that. I can't think straight when you do that!" She blurted out, instantly throwing her hand over her mouth afterwards. "I mean!"

"Really now?" the anger that had been boiling up inside him was suddenly gone, replaced with amusement at her confession and… what was this other feeling, excitement? Joy? Regardless, he liked it. He took another step closer to her, instantly making her uncomfortable and causing her to take a step back, to which he only took another step closer. "You can't think straight, huh? Why is that, love?"

"I want you to leave now." She said, taking a step back for each one he took towards her.

"It was only a few short minutes ago that you were asking me to stay, was it not? You wanted _answers_, I believe was your excuse."

"That wasn't an excuse, it was the truth. I do want answers." She said, shakily, finally backing into a tree, "But now I'm thinking I'm fine, so you can go."

He pinned her against the tree, his hands on either side of her head. He was staring at her intensely, his eyes gazing into her wide blue ones. "What happened to the snarky, confident, forceful young woman who had no problem pushing my buttons not too long ago, hmm? Where did she go, Caroline?" The ball was in his court now, and he relished in it.

"I didn't mean what I said about you. I can think straight. I just don't like you touching me. It was a poor choice of words," she said, trying to gain control of the situation, "I really don't feel anything but anger and resentment towards you." Who was she trying to convince?

He grinned, and he could see that made her uncomfortable. "I see… so, if I were to just… _stand_ a little closer to you, like this," he said, leaning in closer, his chest almost touching hers. She instinctively tried to inch away, pushing her body as far into the trunk of the tree as she could, "that doesn't… bother you?"

"Of course it bothers me!" she snapped, reaching both her hands up to his chest and trying to push him off, to no avail, "You're in my personal space!"

"Yes, I got that, but it doesn't – oh, I don't know – _arouse_ you?" His face was a mere inches from hers, and for a moment he contemplated just grabbing her face and kissing her soft, welcoming lips, but he decided against it. He knew what her lips tasted like, he had had the pleasure of kissing them before in the body of Tyler Lockwood, but he had never felt her lips on his own. He wanted nothing more than to take advantage of his situation and ravage those gorgeous lips, but not like this. She wasn't ready.

"No! Now stop!" she shouted, giving him one hard push on the chest. He caved, releasing her from his hold on her, though not because she was too strong – he could have held her against that tree all night and there would have been nothing she could do about it – no, he allowed her to push him off.

"Just admit it, love! You feel an attraction." He said, smiling as she glared at him, her cheeks turning from a furious red to a blushing pink. He leaned in, "I know you do." Klaus raised his eyebrows in a suggestive manner.

"Ugh, why do you always do that?" She said, shoving him in the chest again, genuinely catching him off guard and making him lose his footing slightly. She was a spitfire, this one. "You are so infuriating!"

"And you are gorgeous when you're angry."

"Shut up!" she pushed passed him, walking further into the woods, heading for the nearest road. He followed her, almost a little too happy to do so.

"Where are you going, love?"

"Away from _you_!" she spat, arms crossed over her chest, wincing slightly, "Blasted shoes!" she cursed.

"Well, what did you expect, sweetheart? Heels aren't really meant for trekking in the woods." He was probably more amused by her situation than he should have been.

"Well, _obviously_ I wasn't expecting to be walking in these damned woods when I put these stupid shoes on today, was I?" Oh, how he loved the fire in her.

"We could have very easily taken the car, lovely, but you didn't want to."

"Ugh, just shut up!" she snapped before taking off in a run. He stood there for a moment and watched her super speed away, his grin widening.

_'So that's how she wants to play it, huh?'_ Never try to outrun a thousand-plus-year-old Original, especially one who was half werewolf. Wolves were always faster.

He narrowed his eyes playfully and took off after her.

…_This slope is treacherous_

_I, I, I like it…_


	3. Part 3

_**Author's Note:** So, nope, this didn't get done in time for the episode, but OMGOMGOMG IT WAS SO AMAZING OMG! Klaus and Caroline by the lake? MOST FAVORITE SCENE EVER! Anyway, this FINAL chapter of my multi-chaptered oneshot (boy, that's an oxymoron if I've ever heard one!) is FINALLY done! I hope you enjoy! It contains a bit of fluff…. I hadn't meant for that to happen, but after the adorable lake scene, I was feeling fluffy. That's what happens. Enjoy. =]_

**x X x**

…_Two headlights shine through the sleepless night_

_and I will get you, get you alone…_

Caroline was sure she had lost him, but that didn't slow her down. Oh, how stupid could she have been? She was supposed to stay strong and angry, but she cracked under the pressure and looked like an idiot in front of the man whose life mission was to make her's a living hell. Now he would hang that over her! Damn him! Damn him! Damn hi-

"Ahh!" she barely had time to think as a figure suddenly appeared in front of her. She went to slow down, tripping over a branch. She heard a slight "crack!" as she did so and felt a pain shoot up her left leg as she fell forward. Whoever the figure was – and she was pretty sure she knew who it was – had caught her before her face could become acquainted with the ground below. "OW! DAMN IT!" she cried out, instinctively reaching for her ankle.

"I'm sorry, love, I didn't mean for you to hurt yourself." Klaus said, lifting her up by her arms. Before she knew what was happening, he put her left arm around his right shoulder, holding her closely to him, and then scooped up her legs with his left. He glanced down at her ankle, "Oh, that's a nasty wound," he said, carrying her to the nearest log he could find that was big enough for her to sit on. He set her down gently and bent down to examine the damage. He pulled her heel off and took her foot in his hands. She winced as he did so. "This is why you shouldn't run in heels."

"Well, I wouldn't have hurt myself had you not jumped out in front of – OW! – me!" she cried out as he prodded her ankle with his finger, "Is that _really_ necessary?!"

"It's broken." He stated.

"No shit, Sherlock!"

He ignored her, though he couldn't help the smile that spread across his face as she snapped at him, "Good news is it'll heal in no time."

"You are just so observant today, aren't you?" She said sarcastically, to which he poked her ankle one last time. "OW! Damn it, Klaus!"

"Oh, stop your bellyaching." He said, getting to his feet, "You sound like Rebekah."

"Oh, no, you did NOT just compare me to Rebekah!"

"Didn't I?" He chuckled as she glared at him.

"Well, I'm glad _you_ think it's funny!" she said.

He only laughed harder, "I'm sorry, sweetheart, but it's a little funny."

"No, it's not!"

"It kind of is, yeah," he calmed down a little, but his smile stayed glued to his face. She was finding it harder and harder not to join him. He was being so… un-Klaus-like. It was kind of adorable, and she instantly cursed herself for thinking that. "Stop fighting it, Caroline." He said, sitting down beside her.

She sat up straighter, determined more than ever to not give in to him. "You're very gleeful right now, aren't you?" she was trying so hard not to give in. _'You can do it, Caroline! Keep a straight face!'_ He just shrugged. "You're just glad I can't run away from you 'til my ankle heals."

"Hm, maybe a little," he replied, "but I kind of like the chase."

"Ha! I _knew_ it!" she said, referring to her earlier statement.

"I meant the literal chase, sweetheart. Not the figurative one you speak of."

"All sounds the same to me." She said, sticking her nose in the air in triumph.

"You are just determined to have a bad time today, aren't you?"

She cast him a sideways glance, and then looked ahead of her again, "Maybe." Oh, my God, he smelled so good. How did she not notice how good he smelled earlier? "I did just break my ankle, so it's kind of hard to have a good time."

"No, you were determined earlier. I get it, you're not over Tyler, but honestly, he had no trouble flirting with that brunette. He was all smiles, Caroline. You think just showing up to the dance with me was going to make him jealous?"

'_Not when it's obviously a façade that we worked on and he already knew about,'_ is what she wanted to say, but instead she said: "Well, duh! He hates you!"

He shook his head, "No, sweetheart. It's not enough to just show up with the person they hate, you have to have a good time. If you look miserable, that isn't going to do anything."

She looked at him through squinted eyes, "Hm… you're actually making sense."

"I'm a thousand years old. I've had a lot of practice." He said, leaning back slightly, his handsome face looking up at the blue, cloudless sky. "And if I'm being honest, I'd really just like for you to enjoy being in my company. I'd prefer genuine enjoyment, but I'll take fake enjoyment if it means you'll smile."

Then she did something she hadn't expected…

She smiled.

'_Why couldn't he be this guy all the time?'_

…_Your name has echoed through my mind_

_and I just think you should, think you should know…_

Klaus brought his gaze back down and looked at Caroline. She looked away quickly. Was she just smiling at him? "That was an incredibly heartfelt confession. I almost believed you." She said, curling a strand of hair around her finger.

"I meant it."

She scoffed, "Yeah, okay. You're _Klaus_. You don't say things like that without some sort of hidden agenda."

He nodded his head, looking down. How could he convince her to give him a chance?

…_That nothing safe is worth the drive I will_

_follow you, follow you home..._

"Well, then," he got to his feet, "we should get you home."

She looked up at him, confused, "What? My ankle hasn't healed yet."

"That's alright, love, I can carry you 'til you're well enough to walk." He offered his hand to help her to her feet.

"No, that's okay. I'll just sit here and wait for my ankle to heal. You go ahead." The last thing she wanted was for him to be carrying her in his arms. That type of closeness to him scared her. Hell, just he carrying her to the log gave her shivers down her spine.

"Very well, then," he said. She jerked her head up, confused. Before she could even wonder if he was actually going to leave her there alone (what kind of gentleman does that?!), he bent down and wrapped an arm under her waist and the other under her legs, lifting her from her perch on the log effortlessly.

"Hey!" she shouted, surprised, and kicking her legs trying to fight him, "What are you doing? Put me down!"

"I've had just about enough of your stubbornness today, Caroline," he spoke to her as a father would a child, "I'm taking you home."

He began walking, despite her struggling, "Klaus, I'm serious! Put me down!"

Klaus turned his head and glared at her, causing her to freeze, "And I'm telling _you_ to shut it and let me take you home."

"Did you just tell me to shut up?" She said with a mixture of irritation and amusement in her voice.

"I did. And I hate repeating myself, so please don't test me."

…_I'll follow you, follow you home…_

Caroline remained silent for a while as Klaus carried her through the woods. He took his time, deciding not to use his super speed to get her home. He rather liked the situation, and the silence that was going along with it, though he knew she was just itching to tell him to hurry up or ask him why he wasn't running. He didn't dare allow himself to think that she was actually enjoying him holding her. He had learned in recent times to not take anything she does at face value. Hell, the only reason she even agreed to allow him to take her to this pageant was because he agreed to give up one of his hybrids for Elena.

How did she have this power over him? He asked himself this question constantly. Why did he feel this way around her? The constant need to win her over, for her to look at him differently, it had consumed his every thought for several months now. He would dream about her, haunting dreams that left him waking in a cold sweat and reaching for her, but she was never anywhere to be found. Sometimes he wondered what it would be like to fall asleep with her in his arms. The first time that thought had occupied his mind he thought for sure he was going crazy. He was Klaus, the Original Hybrid. He was the most powerful vampire and werewolf on the entire planet. People feared his name, and he feared nothing.

Except now…

He feared losing Caroline. He hated to see her hurt. It was the strangest thing, but when he had learned of Tyler's infidelity, he had been so disgusted with the young werewolf-turned-hybrid. He! Klaus! The man who had walked this earth for more than a thousand years and killed too many innocent people to count! _He_ had been disgusted with someone for _cheating_. But it wasn't just anyone, it was Caroline! When he put the pieces together in front of Tyler, he thought for a split second that he had won and he had felt a certain kind of happiness that he had never felt before, but then his delight had quickly been replaced with the realization that Caroline would be heartbroken and the look he had given Tyler ranked up there with looks he had given to those who had hurt someone in his family right before he had ripped their hearts out.

…_This hope is treacherous…_

"I think I can walk now." Caroline said, pulling Klaus back to reality. He looked at her quizzically and he had the feeling she had been staring at him for a while.

"I'll be the judge of that." He said, taking a seat on a rock, placing her in his lap as he did so. He could feel her pulse as he did this, the beating of her heart increasing in speed. He had to work extra hard to keep a smile from spreading across his face. "Let's see it, love," he nodded his head, indicating for her to lift her ankle higher for him to see. She did as he commanded, crossing her leg over the other and propping it up. He gently put his hand on her ankle and she stiffened. This time he couldn't help the corners of his lips turning up in a slight grin as he pretended to examine her ankle.

Yes, pretended. Her ankle had healed probably just a few short minutes after it had broken; either she hadn't known or hadn't said anything, but he knew better. Rebekah had had plenty of broken ankles, and he knew they never took _that_ long to heal. He instead took advantage of the time he could, holding Caroline as close as possible, waiting until she said something.

"How does that feel?" He asked her, squeezing her ankle gently.

She swallowed, "Fine."

He took her bare foot in his hand and began to rotate it, slowly moving it left, right, up and down, "And this?"

"G-Good," he detected a slight flush in her cheeks as she stuttered out the word.

"And, finally," he said, a devilish grin on his face, "how about this?" And as he said it, he maliciously poked her ankle as he had before.

"Hey!" she shouted.

"Did that hurt?" he asked playfully.

"Well, no, but-"

"Alright, then, Miss Forbes," he said, releasing her legs from the grip he had had on them for the last twenty minutes, helping her into a sitting position. She was still perched on his lap, "I believe you are well enough to walk on your own from here on out… unless you want to try and outrun me again in those God forsaken – albeit amazingly sexy – heels." He looked up at her, flashing a dimpled grin.

…_This daydream is dangerous…_

_'Damn those dimples!' _She thought, looking down at his handsome face, those luscious, oh-so-kissable lips. _'No!'_ She mentally kicked herself for even letting the thought of kissing him cross her mind, though spending the last twenty or so minutes in his arms hadn't actually helped her thoughts wonder about much else.

"So…" She snapped out of her mental breakdown to see Klaus looking at her expectantly. "Are you going to… get off me?" he gestured to her sitting on his lap.

"Oh!" she quickly jumped to her feet, cursing when she stepped on a rock, "Son of a-!"

"Careful, love," he said with a chuckle, grabbing her arm to help her keep balance, "as much as I love having you in my arms, I think they need to rest before you have any more foot-related injuries that impair your ability to walk." She looked at his hand on her arm, then up into his face.

"Um… thanks," she said, regaining her balance. He let go of her arm and she took a step back, looking down. After a few seconds she took his seat on the rock and brushed the dirt from her feet before replacing her heels, getting back to her feet shortly thereafter. He gestured for her to lead the way, and so she did.

…_This hope is treacherous…_

They walked in silence as they reached the highway and headed towards town. Klaus contemplated starting a conversation, but he really wasn't sure what to say. To be honest, he was quite enjoying the silence. Just having her in his company seemed to be enough for him. As they entered town, Klaus had decided he wasn't ready to let this evening end. He cleared his throat, causing Caroline to stop and look at him. "What?" she asked. He couldn't help but wonder what was going on in that beautiful head of hers.

He gestured to the building next to him. She looked. They were at the Mystic Grill. "Care for a drink?" he asked her.

"Oh, I don't know…" she said, uneasiness in her voice.

"Come on, Caroline, just one drink. I won't bite." He dimpled.

She glared at him, "You are _so_ cheesey."

He shrugged. "One drink, Caroline, and then I'll take you home."

She groaned, "Fine!" That seemed to be how she agreed to everything with him. He opened the door for her and she walked through. They made their way to the bar and as they did he put his hand on her lower back, as if leading her. She didn't protest him, though he could tell that she was slightly uncomfortable with his gesture. She took a seat and he took one beside her, ordering them each a drink. "Just _one_ drink, right?" Caroline asked.

He smiled, "Yes, love, just one drink; something to take the edge off. You've had a trying day, and I'd hate for this date to be a complete disappointment." The bartender brought their drinks and Klaus raised his glass to Caroline. "Cheers to the first of – what I hope will be – many dates." She only stared at him. "Oh, come on, love. Humor me. Please?" he gave her the biggest puppy dog eyes he could muster.

She scoffed, "Whatever. To first dates." They tapped their glasses together lightly and took a sip. Well, he took a sip. She downed half the glass in one gulp.

He raised his eyebrows, amused, and then set his own glass down, staring at the rim, "You know, had you not been so determined to not enjoy yourself tonight, you might have actually had a good time." His gaze traveled to hers. She looked away.

"I know I've been kind of a jerk today. It's just… I don't know, under the circumstances, it just doesn't seem right." She said finally, raising her glass to her lips. This time she took a regular sip.

He nodded in acknowledgement, "I understand. I'm the bad guy, I get it. You're afraid of what your friends might think if you actually enjoyed yourself, of what Tyler would think," he watched her as she set her glass down, "or, perhaps, you're afraid of how _you_ might feel if you allowed yourself to have a good time… with me." He added the last bit in, watching her closely as he did. She looked conflicted. Conflicted was good. Conflicted meant he was getting under her skin, that he was winning.

He liked winning.

…_Two headlights shine through the sleepless night_

_and I will get you, get you alone…_

How did he know her so well? In all the time that she has known Klaus, he has always been the evil hybrid; the big bad wolf that had to be stopped. And for some reason that she did not understand, he was completely infatuated with _her_. She had gotten away with deceiving him more than once, and he still continued to let her live. Not only that, but he still continued to pursue her! If anyone else had betrayed him, she was sure that he did not allow them to do it again… so why was she so special? What was worse was that Caroline felt that, surprisingly, Klaus knew her better than anyone… he knew her better than even Tyler, the man she was sure was her soulmate, and that frightened her.

What frightened her more was that she felt completely at ease with Klaus (after she got over the initial distain that she would feel at first because she knew that's how she was _supposed_ to feel). However, even she couldn't deny the fact that when she was asked by Stefan to distract Klaus so they could free Elena, she was a little too happy to do it. She almost got excited. She convinced herself it was only because she liked the thrill of it and the confidence boost she would get after a minute with him, with all his compliments and the way he looked at her. Tyler never complimented her the same way Klaus did. Sure, he told her she was beautiful in other ways, like telling her she looked "hot" or "sexy", which was nice but didn't sound nearly as sophisticated as when Klaus would say things to her. Klaus would use words like "stunning" or "ravishing", and when he would say these things he always sounded so sincere and looked at her as though she were the only woman on the planet.

He was so annoying, though, always trying to get her to confess that she liked him. She would never confess that, even if it were true. _'Which is isn't!'_ she told herself mentally. "No, I'm not worried about how I feel around you at all," she said to him, signaling the bartender over for a watched as he refilled her glass and quickly grabbed the bottle of wine from his hand before he could walk away with it, indicating for him to leave it. "As a matter of fact," she raised the bottle to her lips, "my disliking of you only increases with each meeting." She took a big swig of the wine out of the bottle. Klaus' lips turned up in an amused grin as she did this, but he didn't convey the reaction she had hoped to get out of him; shock or irritation, maybe, but not enjoyment. Oh, he was so infuriating! She took another large gulp from the bottle in her frustration.

…_Your name has echoed through my mind_

_and I just think you should, think you should know…_

"Slow down there, love," Klaus said, gently pulling the bottle from her grasp. She huffed, angry that he took the bottle from her, but then realized she still had a full glass of wine beside her. She defiantly took the glass in her hand and raised it up in a 'cheers' motion and downed it before he could take it from her, too. "Well, so much for one drink." Caroline let out a loud sigh as she finished off her drink, setting her glass down. "Thirsty?" Klaus asked sarcastically.

"Well, if I wasn't afraid _someone_ was going to take my drink away, I might've made it last." She spat at him.

He smiled, looking at her intently. "I just want to make sure you don't get too – what do they call it these days? Oh, yes – shitfaced." He said with an amused grin, "Thanks to being a vampire, you can handle your liquor better, but that doesn't mean you can't get drunk."

"Oh, my God, I knowwww!" Caroline groaned out, "I've been a vampire for a while now, ya know." Klaus smiled his adorable dimpled smile of his and Caroline felt her insides flutter. She angrily reached for the bottle he held in his hands. He quickly pulled back, holding it just out of her reach. "Damn it, Klaus, give it to me!"

"Easy, darling, no need to beg," he said amusedly, "I must say, though, I hadn't expected those words to come out of your mouth so soon into the evening."

Caroline felt her cheeks burning up. "Shut up!" she said, lunging forward and pulling the bottle from his hands. She had a sneaky suspicion that he let her, though. "You're such a jerk!"

"You keep saying that, and yet you're still talking to me."

"Only because you won't leave me alone!"

"Oh, come now, love. You and I both know that no one could keep you somewhere you didn't want to be unless there wasn't something very serious at stake." He looked at her knowingly, waiting for her to make the next move. She almost felt like getting up and trying to leave to prove a point, but she just didn't feel like fighting with him anymore, and this wine was so good.

"Fine, whatever, I want to be here," she said begrudgingly, "But if you repeat that to anyone, I will go to my grave denying it! And who will they believe, hmm? Innocent, little Caroline Forbes, or the master of all evil, Klaus?" She narrowed her eyes, giving him the best evil glare she could manage. Klaus looked very pleased with her confession, but simply nodded his head in agreement. She turned back to the bottle of wine in her hand and began refilling her glass, "Besides, I need a distraction to get my mind off of Tyler. I guess you're the best I can do right now." Her dismissive tone had no effect on him. Obviously he had grown used to it in the last few hours of being with her.

"Well, then," Klaus said, "let's order us another bottle of wine." He raised his hand, getting the attention of the bartender.

"Here, here!" Caroline said enthusiastically, raising her glass.

…_That nothing safe is worth the drive I will_

_follow you, follow you home..._

Two hours, two bottles of wine, and several shots later, Caroline was rather – for lack of a better word – giddy. Despite his best efforts to slow her drinking, she insisted on it and would scold him for trying to stop her. "You're not my father!" she had said, or (his personal favorite) "Geez, Klaus, way to let your age show. I think it's passed your bedtime, grandpa!" After they had polished off their second bottle of wine, Caroline had challenged him to a drinking game. A game which she lost as he was much more skilled at drinking games than she, and resulting in her current state of 'giddiness'.

He had learned a lot about her, though. Most of it he already knew, like her parents' divorce, how Katherine smothered her to death with vampire blood in her system, and her father trying to cure her of vampirism. What he didn't know, or expect her to tell, were some silly little stories from her childhood, like how when she was five years old she got stung on the foot by a wasp at Elena's house, making her unable to walk so her dad came to pick her up and carried her back home. They had called her mom, who was working ("Always working!" Caroline had added), and Caroline had cried into the phone while her mother did her best to calm her down. She then proceeded to tell him about the time when she was eight and she, Bonnie, and Elena were "ice skating" on the kitchen floor in her house (which consisted of sliding across the floor in their socks) and Caroline had slipped and fell on her face, breaking her nose. While he listened closely, smiling the whole time and enjoying the fact that she was opening up to him, he couldn't help but notice that she was incredibly accident-prone, which also amused him.

She would break between her stories to ask him about his life, which he would give short, unsatisfying answers to, and then ask her more about herself. He didn't like talking about himself. First of all, it was best not to reveal too much of yourself when you never know who could be your enemy; and secondly, he had lived a thousand years. Some things he would just rather forget, and some things he didn't remember much of anymore.

Presently, Caroline had taken a break from her autobiography to stare at him intently, a look that said she was thinking long and hard about something. "Something the matter, love?" he asked finally, feeling as though he had something on his face.

"Your dimples…" she said.

Confused, he asked, "What about them?"

"They're so… adorable!" she exclaimed, "Can I poke them?"

"E-Excuse me?" he barely had time to register her odd request when she poked his cheek with her index finger.

"It doesn't work if you don't dimple for me, ya know." She said, sounding annoyed.

"Okay, I definitely think you've had enough to drink." He took her drink away and reached in his pocket to grab his wallet.

She groaned, "Klaus! Don't be such a butthead!"

"'Butthead'? What are you, 9?"

"What are you, 9,000?" she shot back, serious at first but then busting out laughing, "Get it? 'Cause you're old!"

He chuckled, enjoying her childlike behavior, but also aware that he should get her home. He paid the bartender and gently helped Caroline to her feet. She pushed him off, "I can do it myself!" she said stubbornly.

"Are you sure, love? Because I'm not entirely convinced that you can." He replied, trying to take hold of her arm again but she shrugged him off. She took a few steps and lost her footing, stumbling forward. Klaus used his vampire speed to catch her before she fell into a waiter. "I think you should let me help you," he said again, this time more forcefully. She made to protest him again, but he glared at her, "No, Caroline. Let me help you."

She reluctantly agreed, and Klaus wrapped his arm around her waist as he walked her out. He hailed a cab once they were outside, helping her into the backseat. He gave the driver her address and they were on their way.

…_I'll follow you, follow you home..._

Caroline was aware that she was probably making a fool of herself, but was too out of it to care. Once the cab started moving, she found herself leaning against Klaus, resting her aching head on his shoulder. "Sleep…" she said, nuzzling into him. She barely noticed him tensing at her action. "You're so warm. And you smell good," she wrapped her arm around him, practically hugging him closer to her as she tried to make herself more comfortable in the backseat. "I could smell you all day."

He laughed.

"Wha'so funny?" she looked up at him. She could barely make out his facial features in her distorted state, but he looked as if he were somewhere between uncomfortable and amused.

"Nothing, love," he told her.

…_I'll follow you, follow you home..._

He didn't know what to do. She was holding him so tightly, something he hadn't expected from her. He hadn't had anyone hug him in a really long time, not even his siblings. The feeling felt both familiar and foreign to him. Unsure of what to do, he slowly wrapped his arm around her shoulders, bringing it to rest on her bare arms. She nuzzled closer as he did so, giving him the confidence that he had done something right. They stayed like that until they reached her house.

Once there, he paid the cab driver and helped Caroline out of the car. She was too lightheaded to walk, so for the second time today he scooped her up into his arms. She leaned her head against his shoulder as he did so; no protests, no snarky comments, just quiet bliss. He carried her up her walkway and to her front door. He didn't see her mother's car in the driveway, so he knew she wasn't home.

"Caroline, love, do you have a key?" he wasn't sure if she would be coherent enough to understand what he was asking her, but instead she pointed to a rock in the garden.

"Under there… in the dirt." She told him tiredly.

"Can you stand?" he asked, and she sort of nodded.

He set her down gently, leaning her against the side of the house so she could keep her footing, and then bent down to the rock she had pointed to. He lifted it up and dug a little into the dirt and there it was, in a shallow grave, the key to her house. He quickly unlocked her door and scooped her up again, taking her inside. He shut the front door with his foot and made his way to her room. It had been a while since the last time he had been inside this house, but he was pretty sure he still knew the way to her bedroom. If not, he would find it eventually.

"Why can't you be this guy all the time?" he heard Caroline ask. He looked down to see her looking up at him.

"What do you mean?" He asked, genuinely confused.

"Most of the time you're this 'big, scary hybrid' that manipulates and uses people… but then you have these little moments where you seem so… human," she said, letting out a small yawn.

This made him uncomfortable. "You seem really sober all of a sudden," he said, changing the subject.

"You're deflecting… and I'm a vampire, 'member?" she sounded very tired.

"True," he found her room and pushed the door open with his foot, "is the alcohol wearing off already?"

"Maybe… and quit dodging," she said, lightly smacking him in the chest. He gently laid her down on the bed.

"I think you should get some sleep," he told her, "you've had a very eventful day." He made to walk away, ready to disappear before she was really sober and asked him more questions, but she grabbed his hand.

"Don't go yet." She asked, almost begging. He looked at her, confused. "I don't want to be alone yet… just 'til I'm asleep?"

He looked at her questioningly, not sure if she was being serious or just trying to distract him like so many times before. Well, she looked like she was about to sleep, so maybe just a few more minutes.

"Of course, love," he said, putting on a smile for her as he sat down on the edge of her bed, very reminiscent of the night he had cured the bite on her neck. The bite given to her by Tyler, via Klaus' orders and he wasn't ashamed to admit it: he didn't regret it. It had given him a chance to talk to the young vampire that had haunted him since he first saw her, but had never spoken to.

Of course, he'd never tell _her_ that.

…_I'll follow you, follow you home..._

He sat there with her for nearly five minutes before she spoke up again. "How come you like me?" she asked him.

"I've already told you: you're beautiful, strong, and full of light." He told her, recalling their conversation at his mother's ball.

She looked at him for a minute through sleepy eyes, contemplating him. "I don't understand why…" she yawned, shifting slightly to make herself comfortable, "a thousand years and not a single girl has caught your eye until me?"

He smiled at her, reaching forward and brushing a strand of hair from her face and resting it on her cheek, "Not to the same extent, no." he said simply. "You should get some sleep now." He told her. Before he could remove his hand from her cheek she put her own hand over it.

"Why haven't you tried to kiss me?" she asked him casually, catching him off guard.

"What?"

"I was really drunk at the grill… I'm still a little drunk now… and you haven't once tried to take advantage of that… why not?" she asked, her heavy eyes closing little by little. He could see her trying to keep herself awake.

Klaus smiled, pulling his hand away, "Because, love, it wouldn't be right."

"You kill for fun, but taking advantage of a drunken girl is somehow beneath you?"

"Don't misunderstand me, love, the thought had crossed my mind."

"Then… why haven't you tried to kiss me?" She yawned again, keeping her eyes shut but he could tell she was listening, waiting for his answer.

He looked at her thoughtfully, "Because you're not just some girl, are you?"

She opened one eye slightly, looking at him. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?" she asked before shutting her eye again.

He wasn't even sure if _he_ knew the answer to that question. "I guess you'll find out, won't you?" he said, but he could tell by her rhythmic breathing that she was out like a light.

He smiled to himself, leaning forward and planting a kiss on her forehead. "Goodnight, Caroline."

…_This slope is treacherous_

_I, I, I like it…_


End file.
